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Definitions Reading Marks piece about gaseous life forms and the many responses. I wonder if there is perhaps the need to define what gas is, because the “Black Cloud ” noted and the various samples suggested are “energy” , “Dust”, “aerosols”, but these are not gases. Let me reflect on what gas actually is: Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter1 You ask what states of matter are? Okay no problem. Let's give you a great example : Water Water can be liquid, it can be Ice and it can be a gas (No not steam) but when it “evaporates” You know when you watch a puddle of water disappear on a sunny day. (Okay ,sorry you never watched something as boring as that. Because X factor was on. How could I assume) Steam is a so called aerosol (many little “drops” of water) A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (For example : Argon, Neon. Krypton2) or it can be made out of elemental molecules from one type of atom (Example: Oxygen ), or compound molecules made from a variety of atoms such as carbon dioxide). A gas mixture may contain a variety of pure gases much like the air you breath. What distinguishes a gas from liquids and solids is the vast separation of the individual gas particles. This separation usually makes a colorless gas invisible to the human observer. The interaction of gas particles in the presence of electric and gravitational fields are considered negligible as indicated by the constant velocity vectors in the image. The gaseous state of matter is found between the liquid and plasma states, the latter of which provides the upper temperature boundary for gases. Bounding the lower end of the temperature scale lie degenerative quantum gases ( High-density atomic gases super cooled to incredibly low temperatures are classified by their statistical behavior as either a Bose gas or a Fermi gas.) Smoke, Steam, pollen and many kinds of air pollution are not gases but aerosols (a compound of molecules individually solid but divided small enough to achieve temporary buoyancy. So for this discussion if a life from made of gas can exist , are we talking about gas or “gaseous” So far none of the discussed examples are made of gas. As a matter of fact, there are no gas creatures in Star Trek. Or any other SF I know. I am excluding fantasy fiction and ghosts. The postulated and quoted Black Cloud is not Gas or even gaseous. It is matter just a whole lot less dense (per cubic space definition) as let's say the floor you walk on. But still a whole lot denser than the smoke of your cigarette (Not a gas – But contains gases) Stellar gas clouds such as the Columns of God nebula, horse head nebula etc contain not a lick of “Gas” at least not in terms of classic gas but plasma, temperature agitated dust and particle concentrations) The gas cloud Kirk fights with Anti Matter and smells like honey is not a gas. It is visible, and emits a scent (now the flavor part is a gas) from the physical abilities it is gaseous, but not a true Gas. So here is my challenge, to burst the “Bubble” name one incident , one ST episode or one Sci Fi story where a true gaseous creature is described, encountered or dealt with. I exclude, Dust, Plasma (different state of matter) Aerosols, “Extra dimensional” examples. Oh and of course “Energy” . While it can be part of the creature it should not be defining it. 1 The definition of what matter is, seems to have as many interpretations as to what gas is. At least reading some of the comments, But for the purpose of this exercise or monologue lets assume I am talking about the “other” stage of energy. 2 It is indeed a real element, the stuff that kills Superman is Kryptonite Category:File Depository